ARTICLES ABOUT SIDNEY PONSON BY DATE - PAGE 2

Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson is expected to be arraigned Monday on assault and battery charges in Aruba after a fight on Christmas that put a local judge in the hospital. Ponson, 28, was detained on suspicion of assault at a beach after several people accused him of harassing them with his personal watercraft and operating it recklessly. According to police, Ponson allegedly struck one of the men, later identified as a judge, several times before fleeing the scene. - Carlos Beltran was impressed by George Steinbrenner after meeting with the Yankees' owner last week and told a newspaper in Puerto Rico that he would not be intimidated by playing in New York.

The changes in the Orioles' clubhouse this season extend beyond the roster and coloring of the walls. The sounds are different too. There are fewer of them--at least musically. New manager Lee Mazzilli has adopted the New York Yankees' policy of not allowing the stereo to be used before or after games. Players must resort to headphones, which means pitcher Sidney Ponson blares his Metallica before starts only when the team heads outside to stretch and the place is empty. It's common practice in the majors for teams to play music after a win. One year, Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" became the Orioles' good-luck tune.

Sidney Ponson was told Sunday by new Baltimore manager Lee Mazzilli that he would be the Orioles' starting pitcher on Opening Day against the Red Sox. It will be the first such honor for Ponson, now the ace of the staff after opening the 2003 season as the No. 4 pitcher in the Orioles' rotation before being traded to the Giants. - Otis Nixon, a former outfielder for nine major-league teams, has been arrested in Atlanta and charged with fondling a woman at his home. Nixon was arrested Friday evening and charged with misdemeanor sexual battery, DeKalb County Police Lt. Myron Logan said Sunday.

Omar Vizquel stole home with the bases loaded in the eighth inning, scoring the go-ahead run and sending the Cleveland Indians over the host Detroit Tigers 5-2 Tuesday night. With two outs, Vizquel broke for the plate and was most of the way home before veteran left-hander Steve Avery realized what was happening. It was Cleveland's first steal of home since Vizquel did it Sept. 20, 2000, at Boston. Ben Broussard followed with a two-run triple. In the first inning, Milton Bradley attempted a rare delayed steal of home.

Ken Griffey Jr. is a headline-grabber. But ask general managers whether they would rather trade for him or the White Sox's Carlos Lee and the answer might surprise you. One's star has fallen fast. The other's is ascending quietly. Griffey and Lee are linked because they are two of the run-producing outfielders scouts from the Baltimore Orioles are trailing. Kansas City center fielder Carlos Beltran is another. Believe it or not, the Orioles might have an easier time getting Griffey, who is owed $79 million over the next six years, than either Lee or Beltran.